Electric igniter for explosive-engines.



E. J. KANE.

ELECTRIC IGNITER FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

I APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2. mo. 1,%M,5?3. m6.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

PatentedNov. 14.,

E. J.- KANE.

ELECTRIC IGNITER FOR EXPLOSIVE ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 2. I910, 1,2045%. Patented Nov. 14,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- barren spares Parana oration.

l' v I EDMUND JOSEPH KANE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'IO WEBSTER ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF RACINE, vWISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

ELECTRIC IGNITER FOR EXPLOSIVE-ENGINES.

Specification ofv Letters Patent.

Application filed February 2, 1910. Serial No. 541,428.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDMUND Jo'snrn KANE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Igniters for Explosive-Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification. 7

The invention relates to improvements in electric-igniters for explosive engines.

The object of the invention is to provide an electric igniter mechanism with novel and improved means for producing the spark for firing the charge.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a device of the character described improved means by which when the exhaust valve is held open during the operation of the engine by the speed governor mechanism and nocharge in the cylinder is to be exploded, the igniter mechanism is rendered inoperative and consequently the generator consisting of the oscillating or rotat ing armature or inductor remains idle and a spark is not produccdand as a consequence the resulting wear upon the moving parts and the loss of energy required to generate a useless spark is avoided.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a device of the character described, direct and positively operating means for imparting movement to the oscillating armature or inductor, whlch preferably comprises the movable part of the enerator.

To the attainment of these ends andthe accomplishment of certain other new and useful .objects, as hereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification, and finally pointed out more specifically in the appeded claims, the invention is directed.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an explosive engine with the invention attached and having parts of the igniter mechanism shown in section and other parts shown in broken lines in order to more fully disclose the details of construction of the igniter mechanism and one manner of attaching the invention to an explosive engine. Fig. 2 is a detail plan view of the igniter mechanism with the walls of the cylinder of the explosive engine to which it is attached in section. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the igniterpants similarto Patented Nov. 14. 1-916.

the view in Fig. 1, but showing in dotted lines the relative movements of the exhaust valve operating rod, andthe lgnlter operate ing means by which the igniter mechanism .or generator-is rendered inoperative and'a spark not produced when no charge is to be exploded in the cylinder because of the action of the speed governor through the eX- haust valve operating means. on the'genera'. tor. Fig. 2.

This view is taken on line 33 of,

Slmilar characters or reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

1 is the engine cylinder, and 2 the main frame.

3 is the engine base.

4c is the fly-wheel on shaft 5 provided with a crank 6 operated by connecting rod 7i pivoted to thepiston on-the interior of the cylinder 1 in the usual or any desired manner.

The engine cylinder 1 is providedwith the usual side opening adapted to receive the block rather than the movable electrode.-

Outside the block 8 on the electrode 10 is provided means for the securement to the electrode 10 of the wire 11, such means pref-- crably comprlsing a threaded outer end'on,

the electrode 10'and the two threaded chain fered or polygonal nuts 12 and 13, between which one end of the Wire 11 maybe se f cured. v I

Secured to the igniter block 8 and preferably cast integral therewith is an arm 14 extending for 'a's'hort distance approximately parallel with the outer wall of the cylinder 1 and provided at its forward extremity with the angular bearing portion 15 into which the shaft 16,;0n which is carried the armature or inductor, is jourualed. he armature or inductor may be of any desired type as well as the construction of the field of the igniter but the preferred form is an armature or inductor of the form shown only in dotted lines as indicated by the reference character l7 in Fig. 1 of the drawings, which, although not specifically shown may consist of masses of laminated iron su tably joined together and of approximately the form shown in dotted lines in Fig. l and being mounted to oscillate with shaft 16,

.will, in a well known manner, produce rapid periodic reversals in the magnetic polarity of the cores 18 and 19 indicated in broken lines ,onFig: 1 and will in a well known manner-setup alternate currents in'the coils joined by the magnet plates 22, 23.

While Ihave herein shown the invention applied to one specific form of generator or magneto and have to an extent shown and described the details of construction of such 1 magneto or generator, it will be apparent that the invention may be applied by those skilled in the art to-any type of magneto or generator whether of the oscillating type of armature or inductor or whether of the constantlyrotating type of armature or inductor. It will also be apparent that the invention may equally be applied to magnetos or generators for furnishing electrical ignition whether the armature or moving part is of the wound type instead of the laminated metal or whether the field be of the ordinary form of winding.

The laminated cores 18; 19. may be wound in the manner common to this type, one end of the winding indicated by 24 being connected tothe supporting block 25 in contact with sleeve 15 and secured thereto by set screw 25*, which completes the circuit to the bearing block 8 and the movable electrode 26, which is also journaled-jn bearing block 8 and extends to the outside of the block,

being provided at its outer extremity withthe crank arm 27 and held normally in such position that the electrodes -10 and 26 are normally in contact with each other by 'means of the torsion spring 28, one end of whichis secured to the igniter block 8 and the other end in engagement with the crank arm 27. The wire 11 alreadyvreferred to as in contact'with electrodelO leads directly to the wound core 19, thus completing the electrical circuit. To the supporting block 25 is secured the laminated field members 20, 21, which carry the wound cores 18, I

19. The endof the crank arm 27 on the movable electrode 26 is provided with an adjustable screw 29 provided with a lock nut and having a head at its lower extremity for engagement with the oscillating member 30, which is "secured to rotate with the oscili lating shaft- .16 carrying the armature or inductor 17. The oscillating member 30 secured to the armature shaft 16 is provided with horizontall extending arms, the 'extremities of which are in engagement each with one end of coil springs 31, 32, which have their outer extremities secured to brackets 38, 34-, extending laterally from the laminated field members 20, 21. The

springs 31, 32 normally exert a tension on the oscillating member 30, thus holding the armature or inductor 17 in its normal position and offering elastic resistance to the rotation of the inductor or armature, which in order to rotate or oscillate must move ,with the oscillating member 30 through the medium of the armature shaft 16, to which both are secured. The oscillating member 30 is provided with a vertically extending projection or finger as .indicated at 35 adapted for engagement by the reciprocating member 36 for the purpose of oscillating the sheave 38, which serves as an anti-friction bearing and support for the reciprocating member 36, the free end of which adjacent the grooved roller or sheave 38 is adapted normally to engage the finger 35 to oscillate the armature or inductor. Reciprocating movement is imparted to the member 36 preferably from the crank shaft 5 of'the engine, and a. convenient way of accomplishing this purpose is to secure to crank shaft 5 a gear as indicated at 40, which meshing with the gear 41, is of suitable size to impart the desired speed to the igniter whatever the character of the engine. a

In the present embodiment of the invention, as shown particularly in Fig. 1, the engine is of the single cylinder four-cycle type, the gears 40 and41 being of proper proportions to impart the desired speed to the shaft 12 and gear 41 for operating the exhaust valve rod, as indicated at 43, which manner, a convenient form being indicated in the drawings in Fig. 1 conslsting of an eccentric secured to shaft 42 and carrying a strap 47 secured to the forward extremity of the igniter -operating member 36.

It is'well known in this art that means such as just described'may be used for operating the exhaust valve operating rod and..-

it is equally well known in explosive engines that centrifugal governors may be employed on moving parts ofthe engine in order to control the speed of the; engine by preventing the closing of the exhaust valve when the engine reaches or exceeds the given speed. In explosive engines of the type herein shown, the piston is employed as a pump for drawing the explosive material into the cylinder but when the exhaust valve of the engine is heldopen automatically the action of the piston within the cylinder 1n 'creating a vacuum will be to cause the air to rush into the cylinder when the exhaust valve is open, following the lines -of least resistance, so that a charge will not be drawn.

into the cylinder when the exhaust valve-is open and consequently there will be no explosion take place in the cylinder. Heretofore it has been the practice in the use of igniters to connect them up'positively with the I engine so that the igniter runs constantly with the engine and a spark is produced at each cycle of operation of the engine whether a charge of explosive has been drawn into the cylinder or not. If, therefore, the engine has reached or exceeded a one of the special purposes of this invention, as stated, and it is not important what specific means for governing the speed of the engine be employed but the common form of reciprocating exhaust valve operating rod has been shown as commonly operated on four-cycle engines and this is further shown under the control of an ordinary centrifugal governor comprising pivoted weighted members 50, 51, secured to the fly;

wheel 4 or the crank shaft 5 of the engine and normally held in a-given position by suitable springs 52, 53, which may be adjustable in order to vary their tension in a well known'manner not necessary to describe for the purposes of illustrating the present invention. 'These spring controlled pivoted-members 50, 51, may-be connected with a suitable member slidably mounted on crank shaft 5, which preferably has an exterior cone shape and against which bears one end of the latch 54 which is pivoted at 55 on the main frame of the engine and has one end, as indicated at 56, adapted to engage with a notched member 57 on the exhaust valve operating rod 43. The usual operation of this form of governor is that,

with the springs 52, 53adjusted to have a given tension when the speed of the crank 25 reaches or exceeds a given speed, the op eration of the gov-El nor will cause the end 56 of the latch to be depressed so that it will engage the notchedmember 57 on the exhaust valve operating prod 43 and prevent the return of this rodjvhen rr' leased by cam 44 and in this manneifhold'open the exhaust valve preventing further explosions of the engine because preventing the drawing in of a charge until the speed of the crank shaft falls'below the given speed when the spring controlled members 50, 51 on the governor will act to release the exhaust valve operating rod and permit the exhaust valve to close, which will then cause the action of the piston to draw in a charge of explosive for the use of the engine.

It is obvious that even though the recipro'- stantly operating from the crank shaft of the engine shall operate the igniter mecha nism, the spark produced will be wasted if the exhaust valve is not closed so that a quently no sparkproduced when there is nocharge in the cylinder to be exploded by reason of the exhaust valve being automatieating member 36 which is shown as concally kept open due to the engine having passed a given speed and because of the governorcontrol over the exhaust valve, I provide means for automatically stopping the operation of the igniter mechanism under the control of the exhaust valve operating means. In the present embodiment of the invention the exhaust valve being under the control of the exhaust'valve operating'rod 43 I secure to the'rodin any suitable manner, a support 60 carrying at its upper extremity a suitable anti-friction roller 61. In order that the igniter operating member 36 may be properly timed to release the spring controlled igniter mechanism, the

rod 36 is provided with a Wedge block 62 adjustably secured thereto by set screw 63. By this means the timing of the igniter mechanism secured. Another wedge block similar to the block 62 but'having its inclined facein the opposite direction is also adjustably secured on the igniter operating member 36, as indicated at 64, and this member is adjustably secured 'to the 'n'i'ember 36 by set screw 65. The operation of the exhaust valve cut out in its relation to the igniter mechanism is best seen from an in-' spection of the parts depicting the exhaust valve operating rod 43 and the igniter operating member 36 at the extremes of their movements as indicated by the full and dotted lines representing those parts, as

' shown in Fig. 3.

The operation of the mechanism or as much thereof as pertains to the features of novelty herein described and claimed is as follows; The operator desiring to start the engine, may turn t e same in the usual manner, thus drawing in the charge of ex-' plosiye into the cylinder. The operation of starting the engine will also impart movement to. the igniter or generator operating member 36 through the gears 40 and 41, the

- oscillation of the inductor .or armature of under control of set screw 63 on the igniter the generator will cause a current to be generated which will pass through the electrodes 10 and 26 in the circuit already described. The adj'atitable wedge block 62 operating member 36 may be adjusted so that the forward end of the member 36 will become disengaged from the arm on the oscillating member 30 at the time the current passing through the electrodes 10 and 26 is near its maximum strength. The sudden release of the oscillating member 30 being under the control 'of the springs 31,

' 32 will cause it to be returned to normal position, as shown in all of the figures, under considerable momentum which will carry the inductor or armature of the generator, the shaft 16 and the oscillating member 30 beyond the normal position and will cause the extremity of the oscillating memher 30. adjacent the crank'arm 27 to strike the adjustable screw-threaded member 29. This will rotate the crank arm 27 against the action of spring 28 and will at the same time separate the movable electrode 26 from the stationary electrode 10. The current being at about its maximum strength, stated, a spark will then pass between the electrodes 10 and 26; j s

The engine .having. reached or passed a given-speed by reason of which the governor mechanism haslocked the exhaust valve opcrating rod 43 against closing the exhaust valve, the support 60 on the exhaust valve operating rod 43 will be carried to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3 by which the antifriction roller 61 carried thereby will pass under the adjustable wedge block 64: and operate the igniter operating member 36 to the position indicated in dotted lines also in Fig. 3. In this position it ,will be seen that although the igniter operating member 36 continues to operate it will--be.. held in a position where its operation will not affect the igniter mechanism or generator which will remain inactive untll i the exhaust valve operating rod 43 is returned to normals. V r,

By means of the mechanism as described,

it will be seen that the igniter mechanism movable electrode will all be cut out and v remain inactive at all times when the engine is running above normal speed and it is not 'desiredto' ignite a charge in the cylinder. It will also be seen that the arrange ment ofthe parts as described for operating the oscillating form of igniter or generator herein shown is exceedingly simple and di# rect and that by directly operating the osfy cillating-means controlling the armature or inductor through the medium of the reciprocating member 36 I provide an-exceedingly simple and durable mechanism that is certain in its operation and not liable to get out of order, and furthermore the movable parts of the igniter being rendered inactive at all times when the exhaust valve is open, there is no useless current generated in the igniter as is the case with the igniters positively operated from the crank shaft of the engine without means for cutting out the operation of the igniter mechanism under the control of the exhaust valve operating means or the speed governor.

In order that the invention might be fully understood the details of the preferred embodiment thereof have been thus specifically described but it is not desired 'to be limited to the exact details of construction thereof, for it will be apparent that many modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the purpose and spirit of the invention, and What 1 claim is- 1. In an explosive engine, the combination with a magneto, of means for operating the magneto by the running of the engine, a speed governorsoperated bythe engine, and means under the control otthe' speed'governor for rendering the magneto operating means inoperative when the engine passes or exceeds a predeterminedispeed.

2-. The combination in ancxplosive engine having a speed governor, -;and an exhaust valve operating rod operatively connected with the speed. governor, of a magneto,

means for operating the magneto by the running of the engine, andmeans "adapted to be operated by the movement',of the-.- 'exhaust valve operating rod for rendering'the magneto operating means inoperative 3. In combination with an-internalbustion engine, a speed governor assofii'a ted, with the engine and operatively connected therewith, ignition mechanism for saideny gine comprising make and break sparkelec',

trodes and a magneto, means operated, by the engine for eiiecting the operation'i'oif both the magnetoand spark electrodeskin rod driven by 'nism controlled bysaid speed governor for rendering said engine operated means incapable of effecting the operation of the magneto and spark electrodes whenever the enginepasses or exceeds a certain predetermined speed.

4. An internal combustion engine of the hit and miss type having an exhaust valve, an exhaust valve operating rod and a speed governor in operative relation to said ex haust valve operating rod arranged to shift the latter to hold the exhaust'valve in open position whenever the engine exceeds a certain predetermined speed, in combination with an igniter comprising make and break electrodes, a magneto for supplying ignition current to said igniter. a reciprocating push the engine for efl'ecting actuation of the magneto and ignite! electrodes together with means operated by the exhaust valve operating rod for rendering the reciprocating push rod incapable of actuating the magneto and igniter electrodes whenever, when the engine exceeds a certain predetermined speed, the exhaust valve op'eratmg rod and the governor cooperate to hold th'edexhaust valve in open position, as afore- 5. In combination with an internal com-" bustion engine, a speed governor driven from the engine, ignition mechanism for said engine comprising an igniter and a magnetofor supplying ignition current to said igniter, actuating mechanism driven by the engine for-effecting the foperatioii the magneto",.,,and devices controlled by the speed governor'for rendering said actuating mechanism incapable of effecting the operation of the magneto whenever the engine passes or exceeds a certain predetermined speed.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to'this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, onv this 22nd day of January, A. D. 1910;

' EDMUNDJQSEPTI KANE. Witnesses:

A. L. SPRINKLE,

M. W. Canrrwnnn 

